Jericho Adams and the Soul Apparatus
by HalfPastYesterday
Summary: Sixth Year Ravenclaw Jericho Adams is running out of time to save his brother's life. But is he willing to delve into the darkest and most secretive of magics to save him? Trouble is brewing in the Wizarding World even after the defeat of Voldemort six years ago, and the events unfolding will affect every witch and wizard alive.
1. Chapter 1

Even through the thick walls surrounding the Room of Requirement, Jericho could still hear the peals of thunder from the violent storm that was battering the castle. Most of the other students would be in the common room at the moment, but he didn't see a point in exchanging meaningless banter with them on such a beautiful night.

It was only on nights such as this, when everyone was cuddled up inside all cozy, that he could roam around after curfew with the least suspicion. He was almost certain that if any of the professors or Hogwarts staff became aware of what he was doing, he would be expelled. Even though it was almost four years since Harry Potter, the Boy who Lived, defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, there was a zero-tolerance policy for suspicious behavior.

And Jericho was very suspicious. He knew that what he was doing was not evil, or even remotely wrong. He wasn't going to hurt anyone, and he _certainly_ didn't plan on dabbling into the Dark Arts. However, perception was everything. At best, he'd be laughed at. At worst, arrested.

The room was still scarred by the fiendfyre that had incinerated most of it's contents, complete with the lost Diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw, and had only just recently begun revealing itself to the Sixth Year.

Various apparatuses and devices were scattered about the room, but Jericho was most focused on the workbench before him. His wand, as well as several other tools and a half-eaten chocolate frog were strewn over it. In the center, clamped to the bench under a large magnifying lens, was a small metal fragment that shined faintly under the candlelight; parts of it charred and blackened.

Jericho had the better part of a year trying to acquire it.

A fragment of the ring of Marvolo Gaunt, one of the Horcruxes created by Lord Voldemort himself.

While the soul fragment within it had long been destroyed by the great wizard Albus Dumbledore, traces of the dark and evil magic remained, as well as the clues to how the unholy deed of splitting the soul was done.

Jericho shook his head, tapping the fragment with his wand lightly, a wave of nausea cutting through him. He couldn't imagine splitting one's own soul. And from what he had gathered, creating a horcrux required the murder of another human being.

No, Jericho Adams was no dark wizard in search of immortality. He did not seek to split his soul, and follow in the footsteps of who was perhaps the most evil wizard of all time. He did, however, seek to learn the secrets of the soul, and how it can be molded or moved.

His thoughts drifted to his brother, still unconscious as he had been for the past five years. Still comatose, still being treated at St. Mungo's. They would not be able to help him, however. Clenched his fist around his want, and smiled slightly.

He would unlock the secrets of soul transference, and set his brother free, without being corrupted by the terrible power of the Dark Magic he would undoubtedly be exposed to.

Suddenly, the door opened, and Jericho turned, his wand behind his back, blocking the ring fragment from view.

"I figured I'd find you in here. Once again, you neglected to tell the room to keep out other people. I swear, it's like you're asking to get caught."

Jericho couldn't help but grin at the blonde girl standing before him. Judging by her attire consisting of a black hoodie emblazoned with the Ravenclaw crest, and baggy pants, he could tell she had recently awoken.

"You should know, Athena, that I have in fact instructed the room to only a select handful of people into it. I guess you're here to drag me back to the dormitory?"

She nodded, sighing overdramatically. "William and Autumn want to discuss this weekend's plans, and for some reason they want your input. Also, you need some proper food and rest."

Jericho stepped forward hurriedly, as she turned to lead them out of the room. "I was just going to spend the night in there. If we get caught, it's on your head."

They both laughed and heard the door quietly disappear behind them, as they made their way silently back to the Ravenclaw common room.


	2. Chapter 2

They walked in silence; it was an unspoken rule whenever any activity that went against school policy was being engaged in. This way, they were able to focus on their surroundings and more easily avoid being discovered.

Weaving through the dark, empty halls of the school was once foreboding to them as children; the gargoyles, suits of armor, and tall, arched gateways all providing the chilling sensation that perhaps they were not alone in the darkness. Since then, however, the pair had grown up considerably, and after witnessing the siege of Hogwarts as wide-eyed second-years, the realization that there were things scarier than an empty corridor set in.

Reaching the fifth floor, the duo made their way down a long corridor that would eventually drop them off at the staircase leading to the common room. He knew this hallway well, having traversed it hundreds of times during his time at Hogwarts.

Suddenly, a voice pierced the silence, and the two students turned around quickly, wands at the ready. Standing across the hall from them was Gordon Miles, clad in his typical leather jacket and jeans that he wore whenever robes were not required. He had his wand pointed directly at Jericho, a glint in his eye.

"Snooping around the castle after curfew are we? You know, it would be a shame if somebody were to find out. Especially after that stunt you pulled at breakfast on me yesterday, Adams. And you _know_ that the staff loves me."

Athena leveled her wand at Gordon's tall, athletic frame that seemed to fill the entrance to the corridor.

"First of all, the whole breakfast fiasco was your fault to begin with. Furthermore, if you don't turn around and get back to your dormitory right now, I'll jinx that stupid jacket right off you," hissed Athena.

Jericho couldn't help but grin. Despite the fact that Gordon's hatred always seemed directed at him, Athena probably cared more about the animosity more than Jericho did. He had no time to deal with minor quarrels, which is exactly what he considered his relationship with Gordon to be.

Scowling, Gordon stepped closer, his wand still aimed at Jericho.

"I'm going to have to detain you, so that you can get proper punishment for disobeying school rules," he jeered, flicking his want to fire off a spell.

"Petrif-" Before he could finish the spell, Athena unleashed one of her own, nonverbally, and Gordon yelped in surprise as he was hoisted into the air by his ankles, swinging uselessly, his wand slipping from his grasp.

Gordon opened his mouth to scream, undoubtedly to draw attention to the scene, but Jericho was faster.

"Langlock," he murmured, and Gordon flailed in the air angrily as his tongue was instantly glued to the roof of his mouth, rendering him unable to speak. With their adversary out of commission, Athena and Jericho hurried down the hall and ascended the staircase to the common room.

When they arrived at the top, they were greeted by a simple-looking wall and a brass knocker in the shape of an eagle. Jericho and Athena gazed at it for a few moments, before a voice echoed out softly.

"_What has a mouth but cannot eat?_"

Athena looked at Jericho, and he smiled slightly. The knocker had a different riddle for each encounter, and had stumped him on more than one occasion. It was common to find first years stuck waiting outside for an older student to come and let them in.

"A river."

The wall opened out, revealing the Ravenclaw common room. It was circular in shape and decorated elegantly, with blue tapestry and an enchanted ceiling that mimicked the night sky; stars twinkling, clouds ebbing and flowing. There were bookshelves and recliners arranged about the space, and several desks and study nooks.

Sprawled out next to the fire were two students; a short, Asian youth and an extremely pale girl with jet black hair. Jericho and Athena stepped over to them, and were greeted warmly.

"Will. Autumn. I hope you're both having a good evening," spoke Jericho cheerfully, as he addressed his friends. Athena sat down next to them cross-legged, but Jericho remained standing.

"So, what's the plan?"


	3. Chapter 3

It was already well past two in the morning, but as always, the Ravenclaw common room was teeming with life. Almost every vacant seat was taken; mostly by students nose deep in their books, both for leisure and schoolwork. A young couple relaxed near the window, enjoying the pitter-patter of the rain on the window, a few meters from a boy who had almost set his hair on fire for the third time that night.

By the fireplace, the four friends chatted about the day's classes and activities. William was enthusiastically describing the look on professor Slughorn's face when William successfully brewed the best Polyjuice potion in his class, much to the chagrin of his Slytherin "prodigies".

"You've gotten really good at potions," Jericho complimented, noting that his friend had spent considerable amounts of time practicing the creation of a wide variety of potions and draughts, hoping to be a potion master later in life, much like his father before him.

The others murmured in agreement, and William's face lit up with pride. He wasn't shy by any means; however he wasn't as strong academically as some of his Ravenclaw peers. Therefore, finally excelling at something brought him great satisfaction.

"Enough of my day," he spoke. "How was your research? Find anything important?"

Jericho leaned in close, his friends scooting over to hear him.

"I managed to figure out what exactly the ring was used for. It's all very hush-hush. After you-know-who's defeat, all books on the subject were removed from the school, and asking around too much gets you noticed. But.."

He trailed off, looking around the room to make sure nobody was eavesdropping. But all the other students seemed content to mind their own business.

"It turns out, the ring had a part of his _soul_ in it. He managed to split it and stick it in the ring. It's pretty dark stuff, and there's still some residual magic there. Not enough to have an effect, but it's like.. an echo."

Autumn tapped her chin quizzically. "I heard rumors of something like that. I forgot the word for it. But someone told me that you-know-who had a bunch of them and was trying to achieve immortality."

Jericho nodded. "They're called Horcruxes, and the subject is so banned, we could probably be expelled for even discussing it."

"So let me get this straight. Voldemort creates a bunch of these Horcruxes by putting little bits of his soul in different objects so that he can keep coming back? What if there is still one around," Athena asked.

Shivering despite the heat of the fire, Jericho shook his head. "They all got destroyed. I don't know how many there were, probably less than ten, since tearing your soul like that must be extremely dangerous. At least.. I hope so."

"So what's the next step, now that you have an idea of how these Horcrux things work," asked Autumn.

Jericho sighed, shaking his head. "I'm not entirely sure. I don't have explicit information on how one can transfer something immaterial like a soul to an inanimate object. I'll have to bide my time and hope I can find some leads."

William yawned, and sat up stretching, rubbing his eyes. "Well mates, I think I've about reached my limit for Dark Magic and sleep deprivation. I've got to have energy for class tomorrow. Night guys and gals."

He stood, as the rest of his friends bid him farewell, and quietly made his way to the boy's dormitory. Jericho and the girls exchanged glances, and finally submitted to their fatigue. As they were getting up to leave, Athena chuckled.

"I'm sure Gordon is going to have a fun evening tonight. I'm sure he's enjoying a nice candlelit dinner with Filch and Mrs. Norris."

Jericho laughed, and Autumn rolled her eyes. "Did he try to mess with you two again?"

"I'll tell you about it on our way to the dormitory. Night, Jericho," cooed Athena, as she and Autumn left the room, snickering.

Jericho waved goodbye, and, noting that the couple was finished snogging by the window, took a seat and gazed out of the glass at the castle grounds. From the tower, he had an excellent view, albeit hindered slightly by the darkness and rain. Eventually, he felt himself drift off to sleep, lulled by the rhythmic pounding of the rain against the glass.


	4. Chapter 4

_BANG!_

Jericho skidded across the table on his back, grunting with effort as he attempted to stand up as fast as possible, before another spell rebounded against the tablecloth beside him. Finally standing up straight, he raised his want, preparing for another attack.

"Not so tough without your pet to fight your battles, are you," yelled Gordon, who flung another jinx at Jericho, who sidestepped out of the way. The duel had attracted a large crowd, who were eager to see Gordon make a fool of Jericho. He had challenged Jericho the next morning, and Jericho was too proud to decline.

Even though Gordon was probably the dueling club's top member for Gryffindor.

Jericho responded by raising his want to Gordon.

"_Avis_!"

A flock of crows flashed into existence from Jericho's wand, drawing confused glances and murmurs from the students. It was flashy, but hardly an effective move in combat. The birds simply hovered around Jericho passively.

Gordon merely laughed at this display, firing another nonverbal spell at Jericho, who barely dodged it.

"You think birds will help you?"

Jericho smirked, slashing his wand at Gordon. "_Oppugno!"_

Suddenly the air was filled with wild cawing, and the flock descended on Gordon violently; biting and tearing at him with their beaks and talons. He swatted and struggled, but could not free himself from their assault. Meanwhile, Jericho stood, crossing his arms, smiling as the crowd was in uproar.

"_Immobulus," _roared Gordon, angered by the jeering crowd, and with a flash of brilliant blue light, the birds froze in midair. The students grew quiet as Gordon exhaled angrily; covered in scratches and cuts, his robes torn in several places.

Jericho tensed, his wand at the ready again, knowing that Gordon's next attack would be a vicious one. His guess was correct, and Gordon began launching spells with reckless abandon. Most missed, but Jericho had to quickly cast a _protego_ charm quickly to avoid being stunned.

The barrier shattered and Jericho was knocked backwards again. He was not nearly as good at nonverbal casting as Gordon, whose skill in nonverbal spells made him one of best duelists at Hogwarts. Jericho knew he had no hope of slugging it out with him.

Before Gordon could fling another spell, Jericho thrust his wand outwards, sending a powerful jet of water cascading outwards, knocking Gordon back. He recovered quickly however, and raised his hand to cast another spell, but Jericho was faster, and already had his strategy planned out.

"_Glacius," _he yelled, and the water on Gordon's clothes as well as the dueling platform instantly solidified into ice, rooting him to the ground, and also rendering him almost immobile from the waist down.

This merely slowed Gordon's offense, and seemed to frustrate him further.

"_Confringo,"_ bellowed Gordon, and the platform exploded before Jericho, sending him sprawling, a dull ringing in his ears. He struggled to stand, feeling sharp pain welling up in his midsection. He hoped his ribs weren't broken.

The crowd was going nuts at the flashy display, although some students showed obvious distaste at Gordon's reckless use of the blasting curse, noting that he could have seriously injured Jericho.

Finally on his feet, Jericho raised his wand again, visibly upset. He had agreed to a duel, not a deathmatch. However, if Gordon wanted to start throwing curses around, Jericho would eagerly oblige him.

"_Incarcerous_," murmured Jericho, and thick ropes wound themselves around Gordon's torso, binding his arms to his sides. With the Gryffindor completely incapacitated now, Jericho stepped forward, narrowing his eyes, the crowd growing silent once more.

"That actually hurt, you idiot. You're just an arrogant punk who thinks that he can just overpower everyone and get his way. Normally, I'd just walk away, but since you seem so keen on blowing things up, I think I'll oblige you."

Jericho raised his want, a devious glint in his eyes. Gordon's eyes grew wide.

"What do you think you're-"

Jericho thrust his wand out, just as the doors to the hall were flung open.

"Expul-"

Before Jericho could finish his curse, he felt a coldness run up his body and found himself unable to move or speak. Headmistress McGonagall strolled into the room followed by a scared-looking first year, her wand directed at Jericho.

"I believe it's clear that this uncivilized display has come to an end, Mr. Adams."

After a moment, Jericho found he could move again, and he lowered his wand slowly, Gordon becoming free of his restraints and backing away quickly.


	5. Chapter 5

Jericho now found himself in McGonagall's office, gazing at the menagerie of portraits that were either conversing with each other, or merely glancing around the room. His seat was posh and leather, but he couldn't feel more uncomfortable, as he was used to flying under the radar for most of his Hogwarts education.

But now, with Gordon seated beside him, looking equally perturbed, he braced himself for the Headmistress' wrath.

But it never came.

Instead, McGonagall simply folded her hands gently on her desk, gazing sternly between the two students. Gordon, with his robes torn, and cuts scattered across his body; and Jericho, robes partially burnt, and covered in soot and ash.

"I will be honest with you two. You're both in the top percentile in your respective houses, and quite frankly, I am highly disappointed with your behavior. You should be setting an example for your peers, not throwing curses around like monkeys with wands!"

She glared at each pupil, shaking her head.

"I'm not sure what kind of quarrel you two have, but it's going to end today, before one of you hurts somebody. I will not have innocent students injured because of one of you. Therefore, you are both given detention. Hagrid will have some tasks for you around the grounds. Perhaps some manual labor will rid you both of this mindless aggression. Have I made myself clear?"

Gordon and Jericho both murmured in acknowledgement, and she sent them back to their quarters. Much to Jericho's surprise, Gordon left him alone after they left McGonagall's office, preferring instead to pretend the Ravenclaw didn't even exist. Jericho didn't know whether this was out of embarrassment from being beaten, or just a desire to not get expelled, but he cherished the peace nonetheless.

After answering the day's riddle, Jericho tiredly made his way up the steps to the common room, where he was greeted by a throng of Ravenclaws, from all years, who excitedly clasped him on the back, ushering him towards the center of the common room.

A timid first year girl offered Jericho a bottle of pumpkin juice, which he accepted wholeheartedly, taking a long swig before wiping his mouth on an ashen sleeve. His friends made their way through the crowd, pulling up a chair for him, beaming.

"You really taught him a lesson back there, mate," cheered William, punching Jericho's shoulder playfully. Athena stepped forward and rustled his hair, much to his chagrin.

"Fought like a true Ravenclaw. You showed him what for without just flinging spells everywhere like a brute." Autumn raised her fist triumphantly, a smile spanning her face.

"To Jericho! And to Ravenclaw house! No one will ever mistake us for a bunch of spineless bookworms again!"

This drew a monstrous cheer, and two burly fourth-year twins picked him up on their shoulders, parading him about the room. Everyone in the common room was trying to shove their way past each other just to see him.

"I don't get it guys. It was just a duel. Plus I got detention! And it was technically a draw.." Jericho trailed off, when the festivities showed no sign of letting up.

Marissa Tanner, a seventh year will long, brunette hair leaned against the wall giving him a bemused look. "Isn't it obvious," she asked loftily. "Ever since the Battle of Hogwarts and You-Know-Who biting the dirt, Gryffindor has gotten so prideful. No one ever pays attention to Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw anymore, and the other houses think they can push us around. You just showed that we aren't pushovers, Jericho."

Jericho nodded in understanding. He looked around at his elated peers, smiling proudly. If standing up to Gordon meant so much to them, he had no right to try and undermine his endeavor with humbleness.

Marissa stepped over and clasped him on the shoulder, smiling slightly. He never saw her around much, and frankly she usually came off as snobbish and a know-it-all. However, Jericho could tell she was genuinely happy for him, and he grinned back at her.

Athena rolled her eyes and lost herself in the crowd, concerning Jericho slightly.

_What was that about, _he wondered; deciding to file it away for later investigation. For now, he would enjoy the merriment, especially since he was due for detention that evening.


	6. Chapter 6

Jericho didn't know what he was more worried about: The giant squid devouring his flesh (Which he figured as highly improbable), or Gordon cursing him the moment Hagrid turned his back to get more meat from his shack.

As the black water lapped at the rickety old dock the pair was standing on, it became clear that Gordon had no intention of assaulting Jericho. It also became apparent that the squid had no intention of devouring their flesh. Instead, it was quite friendly; jovially brushing them with its tentacles, as if to thank them for the meal.

When they had dispensed the remainder of what Jericho presumed to be the remains of a cow into the water, Jericho and Gordon sat side by side gazing out at the lantern-lit surface of the lake. It was beautiful. Jericho could think of many worse ways to spend detention, even if he did have to endure being near Gordon.

"When's Hagrid getting back," groaned Gordon after about forty-five minutes of Hagrid being gone.

Jericho finally acknowledged his existence, and turned to him, sighing. "I'm not exactly sure. It's only about a ten minute walk, and the meat was already butchered."

Gordon ran a hand through his wild black hair. His signature leather jacket shone in the moonlight, contrasting Jericho's messy, plain white dress shirt and tie.

"I hope he doesn't take too long. It's midnight now and I have early potions tomorrow," murmured Jericho, and Gordon chuckled.

"Please, we all know you're up late doing who knows what around school. Don't try to act like you're in bed by ten every day, spat Gordon, and Jericho's lips curled into a scowl. He took a deep breath, not letting Gordon get to him.

Jericho began to notice the thick fog that was now rising over the surface of the lake. He supposed a little bit of a mist would be normal, but he could barely see the shore from where he was standing on the dock.

Gordon seemed to notice how quickly the fog had set in, and stood quickly, trying to peer through the haze. Everything seemed eerily calm; the water stopped sloshing against the dock, the squid was nowhere to be found.

"What's the deal with this fog? Can't be natural," Gordon spoke softly, raising his wand. Jericho did the same. Since the mysterious attack on his brother that left him in his present state, Jericho knew there was something malevolent at work once again at the school.

"I don't know, but it's definitely magic. Be ready for anything."

Gordon froze, his wand pointed at something in the fog. He was trembling, something Jericho had never seen, even when he was about to curse the Gryffindor at point blank range. Jericho scanned the fog, but couldn't make anything out.

"What's got your panties in a bunch," Jericho murmured, as Gordon remained rooted to the spot. Then Jericho saw it, as it made it's way through the fog.

A cloaked figure floated slowly towards them, its ragged robes trailing behind it, never touching the water's surface. The fog seemed to coalesce around it, but never obscuring it completely. It's face was hidden under the cover of its hood.

"I-is that a dementor", Jericho stuttered, trying to discern what the thing was before it got too close to them. Gordon snapped out of his daze, and flicked his wand.

"_Expecto Patronum!"_

A silvery, luminous wolf leapt from Gordon's wand, rushing at the hooded figure with claws outstretched, the moonlight reflected on its brilliant white coat. Jericho watched in awe. He had never seen Gordon's patronus, and it was fearsome as well as awe-inspiring.

It had, however, no effect on the approaching figure, merely rebounding off of it and dissolving into a silvery-white mist. Gordon and Jericho both reeled, scurrying back along the dock as the creature descended before them.

It's cloak was brown and gray, mottled and torn in many places. It's face was still obscured by a thick shadow, and it floated about a foot above the dock. It made no sound, however Jericho and Gordon could hear faint whispering emanating around it, but not from it. The most troublesome thing, however, was the large number of wands that were affixed to its robes, of every make and shape.

"Where do you think it got all those wands," Gordon whispered, his voice wavering slightly from fear.

"I'm not sure, but I know we don't want to find out." As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Jericho drew his wand and raised it to the strange being, prepared to defend himself.

To both the student's alarm, the creature held out a misshapen arm, black smoke swirling in its hand, a dark, twisted wand appearing in it. The whispering grew mad, and neither Gordon nor Jericho could make out any of the words.

Except two.

_"Avada Kedavra!"_


	7. Chapter 7

A jet of green light careened straight for Gordon, who had a pale, grim expression on his face. He knew what that curse did. Everyone in the wizarding world did.

And Jericho was not about to let that happen, despite how much he hated Gordon's guts.

With a flick of his wand, Gordon was flung from the dock sideways, sending him splashing into the lake as the creature's killing curse blasted into the dock. Jericho ran towards shore, hearing a startled Gordon swimming in the same direction.

Glancing over his shoulder, Jericho felt his skin crawl as the strange being flew towards him, fog swirling around it, it's cloak covered in wands jingling about as it soundlessly pursued him. When he finally touched solid ground, Jericho spun to face it.

_"CONFRINGO!"_

Jericho put all his fear and survival instinct into the spell, yelling it at the top of his lungs. The air before the creäture instantly combusted, and it fell backwards through the air, the insane whispers growing louder and more angry.

Gordon pulled himself out of the water and stood by Jericho wand aimed at the phantasm, which was quickly recovering from the blast. His look of pure terror was now replaced by one of fierce determination. No matter what Jericho thought about him, he couldn't deny that Gordon was courageous, strong, and a true Gryffindor at heart.

"Thanks for that. I don't know what this thing is, but I don't think we can take it alone," Gordon spoke loudly, to be heard over the flurry of whispers that howled through the night.

"I think it's the same thing that got my brother! There are rumors about a phantom that steals wizard's wands, and kills them! We need to get the hell out of here, now!"

Gordon nodded, and the pair took off running as fast as they could. The phantom recovered, sailing after them, hurling curses at them with alarming speed and precision. Gordon had to slow his pace to continually cast protective charms to deflect them.

Soon they reached a clearing, and Hagrid's hut was visible in the distance, and this gave them fresh hope. Before they could take another step however, roots jettisoned from the soil, whipping them through the air and hurling them several yards away. Jericho hit the ground hard, the wind knocked out of him. He barely managed to keep hold of his wand.

Gordon sat up, groaning, his ankle twisted painfully. The creature slowly descended towards him, and the whispers grew maddeningly loud. He dropped his wand, covering his ears as he felt his very soul shake at its foundation. He didn't know what he would lose first, his life, or his sanity.

Jericho raised his wand despite the sharp pain in his ribs, when two figures appeared at the edge of the clearing. One was massive, and Jericho knew this was Hagrid. The other was relatively tall, and athletic, but Jericho couldn't make out his face in the darkness.

When the phantom descended on Gordon, Jericho knew he had to do something, but his vision was growing hazy from the pain. He began mouthing a spell, when-

"_Stupefy!"_

A red light slammed into the vile creature's body, knocking it several feet away. It hovered in midair, gazing at them hatefully. Jericho looked up at the person responsible for the spell, and gasped.


End file.
